Asada's Poppins
Youtube Source Asada Mao definitely has outgrown her past self in her latest performance in the 2012 Japan National Figure Skating Championship: Merry Poppins. When she lost the champion title to Kim Yuna in the 2010 Winter Olympics, she was obviously disappointed and somehow lost in disbelief. Undoubtedly she had been diligent and already did her best at that time, but Kim was definitely beyond comparison in that game. Asada looked stressed and tensed in her though beautiful and graceful skating; while Kim gave an impression that she danced at ease in every step. On technique front, I am not any expert to judge, but as an audience I was much more enchanted by Kim in 2010. By chance I watched Asada's performance in the national championship in 2012. She skated like an elf on the ice and seemed to have raised herself to a different level of the sport. Even without her signature jumps - triple and 3 and 1/2 - she was still fascinating. Possibly without those highly risky sh...